1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to an image generation apparatus configured to generate an image and a control method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, there is a growing need for generating an attractive output image such as a moving image or a slideshow by performing image editing on material images such as still images and moving images. Image editing includes, for example, selection, composing, and deletion of scenes using the material images, and applying effect and transition to the scenes. However, for users not used to generating output images, processing like selection, composing, and deletion of scenes, and designation of effect and transition is very challenging.
Thus, a tool that generates an output image in a full-automatic or a semiautomatic manner has been developed. A tool that generates an output image full-automatically needs only a material image to be processed and a template designated by a user in generating an output image. When receiving the material image and the template, the tool automatically generates an output image.
For example, a template discussed in Japanese Patent No. 4424389 includes a condition and an order of material images to be used and information of the effect/transition to be applied. Feature quantities of the material images are compared with the condition of the material image to be used described in the template. Then, the material images that match the condition are arranged in order and the designated effect/transition is applied to the material images. In this manner, an output image is generated. Japanese Patent No. 4343027 discusses a method that selects a template with a theme that matches a theme set in advance to a material image to be processed and generates an output image using the template.
Regarding a tool for semi-automatically generating an output image, there is a tool that presents candidate material images to a user. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-30159 discusses a method for calculating a recommendation degree of each material image concerning whether the image can be arranged at the (N+1)-th image from a relationship between a feature quantity of an N-th material image which is selected by a user and a feature quantity of a different material image. Then, based on the calculated recommendation degree, the user is provided with candidates of material images which can be arranged as the (N+1)-th image. The user selects an image from the candidates.
In the above-described Japanese Patent No. 4424389 and Japanese Patent No. 4343027, a user designates a template. However, if a material image that matches the condition of the template regarding the material image to be used does not exist, an output image that matches the content of the template cannot be generated. In addition according to these patent documents, designation of a template according to a theme is performed. However, in this case, since the feature quantity such as the composition of the material image is not considered, an output image that matches the material image may not be generated in some cases.
Further, according to the semiautomatic method discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-30159, only the correlation of the feature quantities between adjacent material images is considered. Thus, an output image of a scene with a story line including a plurality of cuts cannot be automatically generated. In this context, a cut is an interval where imaging is continuously performed in an output image. Further, a scene includes a plurality of cuts and has one meaning or one story.
The present invention is directed to realizing an image generation apparatus useful in easily generating an output image that matches a material image which a user desires to include and includes a plurality of scenes with an alignment order.